The lowest tier of public administration, shaping services on the ground.
The government has announced a review of local-government reorganisation to ensure the process is robust and compliant with law, amid pushback from councils. Plans for unitary authorities in several counties have been paused or withdrawn, while Surrey’s restructuring remains unaffected and local elections on existing boundaries are confirmed for 2027.
ADP reports private payrolls rose by 122,000 in May, broadening gains across sectors and outpacing expectations. Education and health services lead growth; information services falls as AI impacts hiring. Pay growth remains steady for stayers and quickens for job switchers as the labor market strengthens ahead of June data.
The axolotl, a critically endangered Mexican salamander, has become a global World Cup emblem in Mexico City branding. Yet residents warn the display distracts from infrastructure and conservation gaps as counts in Xochimilco fail to find live axolotls in two years, though DNA traces show remaining populations. UNAM will publish census results by late summer.
Mayors will keep a share of income tax and business rates from 2027-28, replacing central grants and empowering local areas to fund transport, housing and jobs. The reform is pitched as the biggest transfer of power in a generation, with details to be announced in the autumn budget as Burnham leads devolution push.